Outmoded statistics

If rising public skepticism about statistics means anything, statistical officials should immediately update their data collection and analysis methods to better reflect reality.

Widespread public doubt about inflated salary figures for 2008 has brought the credibility of China's statistics officials into question once again.

The latest numbers the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has cranked out aren't necessarily wrong, but officials' refusal to adopt a more representative methodology has made them increasingly difficult to sell.